When joly Gyb saw hur thare,
He gyrd so hys gray mare,
That scho lete a fowkyn fare
At the rereward.
"I wow to God," quoth Herry, "I schal not lefe behynde,
May I mete wyth Bernard on Bayard the blynde,
Ich man kepe hym out of my wynde,
For whatsoever that he be, before me I fynde,
I wot I schall hym greve."
"Wele sayd," quoth Hawkyn.
"And I wow," quoth Dawkyn,
"May I mete wyth Tomkyn,
Hys flayle I schal hym reve."
"I make a vow," quoth Hud, "Tyb, son schal thou se,
Whych of all thys bachelery granted is the gre:
I schal scomfet thaym all, for the love of the;
In what place so I come thay schal have dout of me,
Myn armes ar so clere:
I bere a reddyl, and a rake,
Poudred wyth a brenand drake,
And three cantells of a cake
In ycha cornere."
"I vow to God," quoth Hawkyn, "yf I have the gowt,
Al that I fynde in the felde thrustand here aboute,
Have I twyse or thryes redyn thurgh the route,
In ycha stede ther thay me se, of me thay schal have doute,
When I begyn to play.
I make avowe that I ne schall,
But yf Tybbe wyl me call,
Or I be thryes don fall,
Ryzt onys com away."
Then sayd Terry, and swore be hys crede;
"Saw thou never yong boy forther hys body bede,
For when thay fyzt fastest and most ar in drede,
I schall take Tyb by the hand, and hur away lede:
I am armed at the full;
In myn armys I bere wele
A doztrogh, and a pele,
A sadyll wythout a panell,
Wyth a fles of woll."
"I make a vow," quoth Dudman, and swor be the stra,
"Whyls me ys left my mare, thou gets hurr not swa;
For scho ys wele schapen, and lizt as the rae,
Ther is no capul in thys myle befor hur schal ga;
Sche wul ne nozt begyle:
Sche wyl me bere, I dar say,
On a lang somerys day,